31 pictures from the Nat Geo archives that capture the beauty of our world

Parts of the Western Hemisphere have enjoyed the beauty of fall over the past several weeks, squeezing in their last gatherings outside in the crisp air before winter settles in.

Growing up, I loved bundling up, stepping out the front door and breathing in the freshness. Fall in the U.S. Northeast, in particular, conjures up images of clear blue skies, fall foliage, and occasionally fog. Michael Melford captured this foggy scene beautifully in Maine's Acadia National Park, the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States.

As a child, my classmates and I would ditch our jackets around noon as the sun shone bright in the sky. It was the perfect weather for outdoor exploration with friends—our last moments outside before breaking out the mittens and winter coats. I associate the fall months with some of my favorite memories: bountiful harvests and jumping from hay barrel to hay barrel, similar to the girls featured in Kitra Cahana’s photograph from the January 2017 issue.

Each October, a symphony of colors emerges. Those hues inspired the photographs selected this month.